Exclusive! Abhishek Duhan: Playing a naxal in Dhahanam helped me understand minimalism

There's more to Abhishek Duhan than his fun-loving exterior when he's off the camera. Beyond the chirpy persona of the Haryana boy lies a serious, intense actor with big dreams, trying to rediscover himself every day on a film set, going one step closer to his aims. His struggles haven't made him better and only fuelled his resolve to be an actor who could pull off any role with elan, regardless of the medium - television, films, OTT or theatre. 

Having made a mark in films like Sultan, Pataakha and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, the actor completes his 10th year in the entertainment industry in 2022. In a chat with OTTplay.com, he talks about playing Hari, a naxal leader seeking redemption in his digital debut, Dhahanam, a web show on MX Player, directed by Agastya Manju and backed by Ram Gopal Varma.

Growing years in Haryana - before films, acting took over his life in Mumbai

I had a very colourful life before films happened and spent a major part of my school years in Haryana. I changed many schools, one nearly every year, because I was a very bad student. (laughs). I can never forget those days. It's probably the most beautiful phase of my life - lots of friends, love, harmless flirting, listening to music, dancing in marriages like there's no tomorrow, jumping walls to watch movies and sitting by the platform at a railway station, dreaming of becoming a hero someday. While talking to friends, I even had ideas of running away from home and going to Bombay and seeking someone for company through the journey.

If Mumbai was a culture shock after growing up in a small town in Haryana?

I always loved cinema and watched a lot of movies even when I was in my home town. I knew how Mumbai would be, the clash of cultures and the competition. The main challenge was equipping myself for a career in Mumbai - I didn't have a path or even know how to behave. I was with a friend in a mall and he told me 'let's bounce bro!'; I didn't know what he meant and asked him, 'Mall me koodenge kyun?' It took me a while to understand that he was talking about leaving the mall. I learnt many other things with time - language, mannerisms, respecting others' privacy, and the idea of equality. Mumbai was a culture shock, yes, but I would call it more of a reality check that helped me grow as a person.

Processing an emotion like revenge while playing Hari in Dhahanam

That's the beauty of being an actor - you don't have to go through that emotion literally in your lives. As an actor, you learn to put yourself in that situation and imagine life from the character's shoes. I remember the time in the series when I get to know that my character's father has been killed, I just knew how to react to it. I don't prepare or plan too much for a scene. Even I'm not sure of how I'll perform a particular scene. 

When an extreme character loses his father to a murder, his life is shattered, all he wants to do is to rip the killer apart and will go to any extent to make it happen. I was reminded of my teenage rage when we went as gangs on motorbikes to warn and beat up anyone who harmed our friends. 'Mere dost ko maaroge? Saale, tumko nahin chodenge abhi,' was what we thought and I think this role wasn't too different. The true Haryanvi in me came to the fore on Dhahanam sets.

Understanding the life of a naxal through Hari

When you live life like a naxal, you understand minimalism. More than minimalism, you depend on natural resources for a living, much like an animal. A normal person can't live like that, neither you nor I. If you know why you lead such a life and the 'why' aspect is strong enough, then you can even walk on fire. As humans, I always believe we have unlimited potential. 

Playing Hari, I knew why he had become a naxal, had a gun in his hand. He doesn't seek any validation from the world; all that he wants is revenge. He wants to stand up for the voiceless and the injustice meted out to his father. He doesn't even mind losing his life in the process. Playing such a part came easy to me - Hari has a clear head and he became my friend. Hari is a person who's very honest, expressive in his emotions, someone who stands up for his family and community, realising his responsibilities, and duties, fulfilling them come what may.

Shooting for Dhahanam amid challenging weather conditions in dry regions

Every day, you wake up from bed only to realise that you'll have a hot and tiring day ahead. You know you're heading to dry land and there won't even be shadows. As actors, you're always mentally prepared for such situations. I could even say it was a good experience for me because it allowed me to explore a life I haven't lived so far. It was an educative experience for me and I enjoyed it. At times, it was painful, but this is why we're here as actors in the industry. When you want to be a soldier, you can't be afraid of bullets.

Why was Dhahanam a web show and not a web film?

The web show format helps you understand characters better, their core values, and how and why they behave a particular way every day. For instance, my journey from Mumbai to Haryana may appear simplistic and colourful but when you go into the details, you'll know I've wept in the dark in lonely rooms. During Diwali, while I lit up a diya, there was no one to talk to and I was crying alone in my room at 10/11 in the night. 

Loneliness apart, I also had no money and I couldn't put my parents in an embarrassing situation and return home. Many have insulted me, pulled me down and couldn't hold my tears when people said, 'teri aukat kya hai?' These are the details that matter when you want to know a person; I guess Dhahanam is a web show for the same reason. It's made by a director who's straightforward, frank and a fun person. He loves his job and is very intelligent, focused and creative.

Working on the first-major multilingual show in his career and learning Telugu

'Bahut mazaa aaya'. You get to learn a new language, not completely, but at least in bits and pieces. I'm still in the process of discovering more. I find the language beautiful to the ears. I met a lot of Telugu actors and they were great fun to talk to, be it their humour, body language and mannerisms - they are in no way similar to the people I've met in Haryana and Mumbai. Beyond the language, they were simple, earthy and raw, to another level. 

On completing a decade in the entertainment industry, regrets and if he's achieved his full potential

I don't think I've achieved my fullest potential. I don't know how many births will I have to take to accomplish things that I dream of. I have so much in me and I'm just waiting for the right platform, digging in and looking for it every day, like how Rumi says, 'You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.' I think I haven't used my potential at all. You've only seen a glimpse and I've just started. I've many a lot of things to do, open up more and it will eventually happen with time. I'll just pray that directors and storytellers see that spark in me and give me the right opportunities. At the same, I never regret any move in my life. Even if I've made wrong choices, I see them as stepping stones to better myself.

(Dhahanam streams on MX Player from April 14)